conducted by Yudhishthira in Indraprastha, bringing elaborate gifts. Even
Lanka sent gifts for the yajna. The Mahābhārata mentions the conquests
made by the four Pāndavas—Arjuna, Bheema, Nakula and Sahadeva—in
the four directions of Bhāratavarsha. Before the Rājasuya, the Pāndavas had
undertaken a successful campaign to seek the allegiance of the various
kingdoms of Bhāratavarsha towards Yudhishthira. All kingdoms had come
on board, some through show of strength, some through diplomacy.
The names of some of the kingdoms won over by the brothers are:
1. Arjuna, North6: Kulindas, Kalakuta, Shāakaldwipa, Prāgjyotisha,
Ulluka, Puru, Kāshmir, Bāhlika, Kāmbhoja, Darada, Loha, Rishika,
Kimpurusha7, Hātak, Uttar Kuru (via Lake Mānsarovar) and other
kingdoms along the Himālayas.
2. Bheema, East8: Pānchāla, Videha, Gandaka, Chedi, Kosal, Mallarshtra,
Kirāta, Magadha, Anga, Vanga, Pundra and Lauhitya.
3. Nakula, West9: Marubhumi (Marwad), Shibi, Trigarta, Dashārna,
Mālav, Panchanada (Punjab), Dwārkā and Madra.
4. Sahadeva, South10: Matsya, Avanti, Māhishmati, Surāshtra, Vidarbha,
Pāndya, Kerala, Dravida, Āndhra, Kalinga and Lanka.
Rather, the very reason the kingdoms from all across participated in the war
was because they were all closely connected, either through marriage,
lineage, allegiance or simply through friendship.
Sanjay’s Description of Bhāratavarsha
In Chapter 9 of the Bhishma Parva, Sanjay describes Bharatavarsha to
Dhritarashtra. In that, he lists out about 150 rivers, including Sindhu
(Indus), Vitasta (Jhelum), Ganga, Saraswati, Yamuna, Sarayu,
Mahanadi, Chandrabhaga, Kaveri and Lohitya (Brahmaputra).
Sanjay also lists out about 220 janapadas (provinces and kingdoms)
in Bharatavarsha, including those that are situated in the north and the